Court orders remand of JAMB official who claimed snake swallowed money

An Abuja High Court presided over by Justice Peter Afen  yesterday ordered the remand of two officials of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), over missing N35 million cash generated from sales of e-JAMB cards in Makurdi, the Benue State capital.

The officials, Philomena Chieshe who claimed snake swallow money and Mr. Samuel Umaru, according to Justice Afen, will be in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), pending the hearing of their bail application billed for Monday, June 3, 2019.

Umoru who is the State Coordinator, JAMB Zonal office in Benue State and Philomena Chieshe, a Clerical Officer are accused of criminal misappropriation of N35m.

But, they pleaded not guilty to the 8 counts.

Chieshe had on February 2018 told auditors that a snake sneaked into the Makurdi office and swallowed N35 million cash generated from sales of e-JAMB cards.

According to the EFCC, the action of Chieshe is contrary to section 139 (a) of the Penal Code Law.

The EFCC also arraigned the Plateau State Coordinator of JAMB, Mr. Yakubu Jekada on a four-count bordering on criminal misappropriation of over N11m between 2009 and 2016.

He also pleaded not guilty to all the four charges preferred by the anti-graft agency.